West Bromwich Albion are plotting an audacious move to sign Germany’s World Cup winner André Schürrle on loan for the rest of the season. The 27-year-old is out of favour at Borussia Dortmund, who are willing to subsidise his £140,000-a-week wages to get him off their books for the rest of the campaign.
West Brom have opened talks with Dortmund, but are struggling to complete the deal at present because they need to shift players from their wage bill before making any new signings.
As The Times revealed last Saturday West Brom are close to breaching the Premier League’s wage curb rules, which limit increases in club wage bills to £7 million each season unless the money is self-generated. Jonny Evans is the most likely departure this month, particularly as the Northern Ireland defender has a clause in his contract allowing him to leave for £3 million if West Brom are relegated at the end of the season.
Dortmund are willing to contribute £70,000 towards Schürrle’s wages for the rest of the season, but even with that subsidy he would still be near the top of West Brom’s pay-scale. The former Chelsea winger is Dortmund’s record signing having joined from Wolfsburg for £26 million in 2016, but has been offered to several Premier League clubs this month.
Meanwhile, Aaron Lennon has said he wants to prove he can still play in the Premier League after completing a transfer to Burnley from Everton. Lennon, 30, has moved for a nominal fee and becomes the Sean Dyche’s first permanent signing of the transfer window.
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Everton’s £20 million capture of Theo Walcott pushed Lennon further down the pecking order and the winger, who recovered from mental health problems last season, was keen for the chance to play more regularly.
“Burnley was the club I wanted to come to and I can’t wait to get started. I’m looking forward to playing here,” said Lennon. “The club is moving forward and I want to hopefully play a part in that to keep it going in that direction.
“I think I’ve still got a lot to offer. I am only 30 and I still want to play at the highest level. I have missed a bit of football in the last year or so and I just want to get back and play as much as possible.”
The Everton manager Sam Allardyce admitted last week that the club must trim its wage bill in accordance with the Short Term Cost Control (STCC) rules. The regulations were introduced three years ago and are designed to help ensure clubs do not spend money from the TV deal on hugely increased wages.
